By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Department of Basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube has suspended the new national catalogue for foundation phase learning materials.
The decision follows an independent investigation into the development, evaluation and implementation of the new catalogue.
The foundation phase national catalogue had been under investigation by an independent firm and the Auditor-General of South Africa (Agsa) over irregularities.
Gwarube said the investigation examined a range of issues and the “broader processes” used to develop, evaluate and implement the catalogue.
Issues surrounding the catalogue tender awarded to Lighthouse Publishers came to light before the tender was suspended by Gwarube pending an investigation.
Gwarube said she had now decided to maintain the suspension of the new foundation phase national catalogue for Grades 1 to 3.
She added that her cancellation of the textbook catalogue tender is in the best interest of South Africa’s education.
The outcome of the investigation was delivered by DBE Director-General Mathanzima Mweli in a presentation to school governing body associations and unions on Thursday.
The presentation records the findings of an investigation into the textbook catalogue carried out by independent investigators Rakoma and Associates Inc.
Lighthouse Publishers, a newly formed company with no prior publishing track record, secured 26% (over R285 million) of approvals in the department R1.6 billion foundation phase textbook catalogue.
The findings of the investigation on Lighthouse Publishers, the presentation states:
“No evidence of fraud, favouritism, manipulation or evaluation irregularities was identified. The investigation found that all allegations relating to Lighthouse Publishers were not substantiated.”
The independent report concluded that Lighthouse Publishers should retain its share of the new textbook catalogue.
The presentation also states that an audit opinion from the AGSA and two additional legal opinions, from the DBE’s internal legal services and an external senior counsel, advocate Chris Erasmus, substantially upheld the fairness and legality of the wider catalogue process.
When the new Foundation Phase textbook catalogue was announced in April, it was with the intention that provincial education authorities would order materials from it in time for 2027 school year. The catalogue has not been updated for 14 years.
The leaked presentation suggests that while these processes identified several weaknesses in the DBE’s administration and governance of the catalogue, they found something quite different from the corruption or favouritism that had been widely suspected in the wake of the controversy stirred by the original reporting.